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ITC/BBC Appointments
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many names were on the shortlist she received from the panel from which she had to propose a deputy-chairman of the ITC; if she will make a statement on the process by which she chose a name to propose following her receipt of the shortlist; and if she took into account the political views of the people on the shortlist received from the panel; [29412]
- (2) how many names were on the shortlist she received from the panel from which she had to propose a vice-chairman of the BBC; if she will make a statement on the process by which she chose a name to propose following her receipt of the shortlist; and if she took into account the political views of the people on the shortlist received from the panel. [29413]
Tessa Jowell [holding answer 22 January 2002]: Both the process for the appointment of the BBC Vice-Chair and the process for the appointment of the ITC Deputy-Chair complied with the guidance issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. This provides that all public appointments should be governed by the overriding principle of selection based on merit and that political activity is not a criterion for appointment. In the interests of confidentiality, it is not our policy to release information about individual shortlists.
Horse Racing
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if it is her policy to ensure that the racing industry is not financially disadvantaged by the end of the current levy scheme for racing; [30030]
- (2) if it is her policy that the determination of the future of a racing levy scheme will establish a long term commercial relationship between racing and the betting industry. [30031]
Mr. Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wrexham (Ian Lucas) on 21 January 2002, Official Report, columns 625–26W.
24 Jan 2002 : Column 1021W
Redgrave-Pinsent Lake
Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the projected completion date is for the Redgrave-Pinsent lake at Caversham; and when the athletes will be able to use the training water at the lake. [29820]
Mr. Caborn: The 2,200 metre rowing course at Caversham is expected to be completed in time for Amateur Rowing Association (ARA) training in autumn 2003.
Sport England has offered the ARA the opportunity to train on approximately 1,000 metres of the lake in the winter 2002, during construction.
National Lottery
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what targets she intends to set to reduce underspend of National Lottery proceeds. [29838]
Mr. Caborn: Around 92 per cent. of the National Lottery Distribution Fund balance is already committed to projects, and money is drawn down from the fund when it is needed and not before. The Department is working closely with the distributing bodies to reduce the distribution fund balance, so that more projects will benefit more quickly from the money the lottery raises for good causes. Distributors are collectively expecting a decline in the balance to £1.6 billion by March 2004.
Football
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what agreement she has reached with the Football Association on the appointment of new directors to WNSL. [29836]
Mr. Caborn: The Football Association and Sport England announced on 15 January 2002 that they are to reconstitute and restructure the board of WNSL. This is in line with the way forward identified in the interim report of Patrick Carter's review of the English National Stadium (HC479).
Tourism
Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she intends to restore a marketing role to the English Tourism Council. [29837]
Dr. Howells: Tomorrow's Tourism did not give English Tourism Council a role to market England. However, in the light of events last year and consultations my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had with senior industry representatives, we are reviewing the options for stimulating better co-ordination of the public and private sector funds currently spent on marketing tourism in England.
Public Service Broadcasting
Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list (a) broadcasting companies and (b) other organisations to which her Department has recently written consulting about the definition of public service broadcasting; and if she will place a copy of the consultation letter in the Library. [30010]
24 Jan 2002 : Column 1022W
Dr. Howells: My officials had informal discussions with ITV Network Ltd., SMG Television, Granada Media Group, Carlton Television, Channel 4 Television Corporation and Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd., as the leading commercially funded public service broadcasting organisations and companies, about implementation of the proposals on self regulation and backstop powers set out in Chapter 5 of a New Future for Communications. I shall develop my proposals on these matters, to be published in the forthcoming draft Communications Bill, in the light of these and other discussions. I am arranging for copies of the letters to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses in advance of these discussions.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Child Support Agency
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his answer of 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 180W, if he will place the Action Plan referred to in the Library. [26563]
Malcolm Wicks: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Mark Todd, dated 23 January 2002:
- The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in replying to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency promised a substantive reply.
- Mr. Smith is unavailable, therefore I am writing to you on his behalf.
- You have asked pursuant to his Answer of 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 180W if the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions will place the Action Plan referred to in the Library.
- I have arranged for a copy of the Child Support Agency Audit Assurance Action Plan to be placed in the Library.
- I hope this is helpful.
Benefit Payments (Lewes)
Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Lewes constituency on income support claimed this benefit for (a) less than three months, (b) three to six months, (c) six to 12 months, (d) one to two years and (e) more than two years, in (i) May 1997 and (ii) May 2001. [27520]
Malcolm Wicks [holding answer 16 January 2002]: The available information is in the table. The data are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling error. Figures of less than 500 are subject to a high degree of sampling variation and should only be taken as a guide.
| Duration of claim | May 1997 | May 2001 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 3 months | 200 | 300 |
| 3 to under 6 months | 200 | 100 |
| 6 months to under 1 year | 300 | 300 |
| 1 year to under 2 years | 400 | 500 |
| 2 years and over | 2,400 | 2,300 |
| All cases | 3,500 | 3,500 |
1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are subject to a degree of sampling variation. Figures of less than 500 are subject to a high degree of sampling variation and should only be used as a guide.
2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100.
3. Based on constituency boundaries as at May 1997.
Source:
Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, May 1997 and May 2001.
24 Jan 2002 : Column 1023W
Benefits (Disabled People)
David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had on developing a system of benefits easily accessible to those with mental as well as physical disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [28134]
Maria Eagle: Disability living allowance and attendance allowance provide a contribution towards the extra costs faced by severely disabled people. Entitlement to these benefits is not based on specific mental or physical disabilities, but depends upon the need for help with personal care, supervision and (in the case of disability living allowance) mobility difficulties which arise from such disabilities. This means that the benefits are already accessible to people with mental or physical disabilities, or a combination of both.
We are exploring, with the help of representatives from disability organisations, whether extra-costs disability benefits could be based on a range of activities of daily living rather than just the care and mobility tests. We are currently in the process of testing a model based on daily living activities with the help of volunteers who a have recently claimed disability living allowance or attendance allowance.
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